Feed-cutting and corn-husking machine



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet; 1.

W. GUTENKUNST. FEED CUTTING AND CORN HUSKING MACHINE. No. 566,310.

Patented Aug. 25, 1896.

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4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. GUTENKUNST. FEED CUTTING AND 001m HUSKING MACHINE. No. 566,310.

(No Model.)

Patented Aug. Z5,v 1896.

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3. W. GUTENKUNST. FEED CUTTING AND CORN HUSKING MAUHINE.

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W. GUTENKUNST. FEED CUTTING AND 001m HUSKING- MACHINE.

(No Model Patented Aug. 25, 1896.

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firm/MEX UNITED STATES ATENT rrrcn.

\VILLIAM GUTENKUNST, OF MILWAUKEE, \VISCONSIN.

FEED-CUTTING AND CORN-HUSKING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 566,310, dated August 25, 1896. Application filed May 31,1894. Serial No. 513,030- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM GUTENKUNST, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, county of Milwaukee, State of Wisconsin, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in a Combined Feed-Outting and Corn-I-Iusking Machine; and I de clare the following to be a full,clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in combination feed-cutting and corn-huskin g machines; and it consists in the matters hereinafter described,'and pointed out in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a combined feed-cutting and corn-husking machine constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the main parts of the ma chine. Fig. 3 is a plan View illustrating the arrangement of the husking-rollers, the driving-gears for actuating the same, and the clutch mechanism for throwing said gears and rolls into or out of operation. Fig. 4is an end elevation of the lower or discharge end of the set of husking-rollers, showing the arrangement of the adj ustable boxes in which said rollers are journaled. Fig. 5 is a similar view of the upper or feed end of the set of rollers,showing the adjustable boxes. Fig. 6is a detail side elevation of one of the hangers and part of the roll-supporting mechanism. Fig. 7 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on line 7 '7 of Fig. 3 and illustrates the arrangement of gearing for actuating the roll, the clutches for throwing said gearing into or out of engagement, and the clutchactuating lever mechanism extending to the outside of the machine. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a modified form of hanger. Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view of the same. Fig. 10 is a plan View illustrating the arrangement of the clutch-shifting mechanism. Figs. 11 12, and 13 are detail sectional views illustrating the arrangement of the husking-pegs in the rollers. Fig. 1 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of one of the rollers, showing the construction of the teeth thereon.

Referring by letter to said drawings, A designates a framework, which may be of any convenient or desired form, for supporting the husking-rollers, the drive-gearing, and the cutting mechanism.

13 designates a drive-shaft, upon one end of which is secured a driving-pulley b and upon the other end of which is located a fiy-wheel B. This shaft carries a cutter-head C, provided with any desired number of cuttingblades and of the same general construction as is illustrated in a prior patent granted to me on November 18, 1890, and numbered M0326. This cutter-head is arranged to revolve within a suitable casing c and to act against a transverse shear-plate 0, upon the upper side of which the material to be cut is fed by the feed-rollers D D. These feedrollers are provided with rows of teeth or projections d (1, arranged to intermesh with each other in a familiar manner, the teeth being arranged in alternate rows, and the upper roller is pressed downward into engagement with the lower roller by means of springs D D, as shown more particularly in Fig. 2. These rollers are geared together at one end in a familiar manner, so as to rotate in opposite directions and thereby to operate to draw the material forward above the shearplate into position for engagement by the cutter-head C. Beneath the cutter-head O is arranged an inclined chute or spout E, which extends obliquely upward to a point beneath the feed-rollers D D and at its lower end eX- tends forward to a point near the forward end of the machine-frame.

An inclined conveyor F is arranged to receive the material discharged from the chute E, and a carrier-belt f is arranged to travel within said conveyer, so as to act upon the material delivered from said chute and dis charge the same from its upper end into a second conveyer, as will be presently described.

A plurality of husking-rollers G Gr are arranged obliquely within the frame upon the feed side of the rollers D D, and said husking-rollers are geared together in pairs, so as to draw material which falls upon said rollers downwardly between the same. From the upper end of the inclined chute E depends a shield E, which is pivotally secured to the upper edge of the chute and rests at its free edge upon the upper end of the husking-roller frame, and a second shield E is similarly supported, as at e, adjacent to the feed side of the lower roller D.

It follows from the described construction that when corn in the stalk is fed into the machine so as to be passed between the rollers D D thestalks will be drawn forward by said rollers and projected above the shearplate 0 into the path of the knives of the cutter-head, which will obviously serve to out or chop said stalks into short lengths. Any ears of corn which may be attached to the stalks will, when they come into contact with thefeed-rollers D D, be broken off or detached from the stalks, when they will drop onto the 'husking-rollers G G, and said husking-roller will operateto remove the husks from said ear, the ears being permitted to gradually :slide toward the lower ends of the rollers, from which they will be discharged into a carrier or vconveyer, which will be presently described, and the husks from said car will be passed through between the rollers and dropped into the conveyor F.

My improved form of husking-roller is formed from a cylindric body, conveniently from iron pipe, upon the outside of which is formed a continuous spiral groove extending from end toend of the roll and cut in the form of a screw-thread. Longitudinal grooves are cut in the roller in lines parallel with the axis thereof and intersect the spiral groove in the :manner shown in the drawings, the surface of the roller being thereby cut into fine sharp teeth, which serve to engage with the husks and to forcibly grip the same in tearing them from the ears of corn.

At suitable intervals in the surfaces of the husking-rollers are inserted husking-pegs II H, which are conveniently engaged with the rollersin substantially themann er illustrated in detail in Figs. 11, 12, and 13. This form of huskingpeg comprises a suitable blade h, which is fitted into a soft-metal plug h, the latter being provided wit-h a transverse groove or saw-cut in its upper end and the blade it being forced into said groove or saw-cut, so as to spread the upper end of the plug, as shown more particularly in Fig. 11, thereby giving a slight taper to the plug, and the lower end of the plug is of just sufficient size to enter an aperture 7L2 in the surface of the roller, so that as the plug is driven into the aperture it will be forcibly compressed at its upper end about the base of the blade h, and at the same time very tightly and securely wedged into the aperture in the roller. In this manner I am enabled to very securely attach the husking-pegs to the rollers without the aid of any wedges or other appliances apertures in the rollers.

The husking-rollers are also provided with suitable openings or apertures H H, adapt ed to register with the husking-pegs upon the adjacent roller and permit the entrance of said husking-pegs as the rollers are rotat-ed with their surfaces in close proximity to each other. As shown more particularly in Fig. 3 of the drawings, suitable triangular bars or strips G are arranged above the spaces between the pairs of rollers and serve to prevent any material from dropping between the pairs of rollers, these bars or strips serving to deflect any such material onto the operating-surfaces of the husking-rollers. One roller of each pair is journaled in fixed boxes I I in the upper and lower members of the supporting-frame, and the other roller G is journaled in movable boxes I I in such a manner as to be adjustable to some extent toward or away from the fixed rollers. I find it convenient to arrange upon the lower side of the upper and lower members of the supporting-frame suitable projecting lugs J J and to pivotally engage adjacent thereto suitable arms or levers j, which extend upward into position to engage at their free ends with the movable boxes I in the manner shown more particularly in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings, and between the lugs J J and the lower ends of the arms j j I arrange suitable springs J J to normally press said arms, so as to crowd the upper ends thereof against the adjustable boxes and thereby press the movable rollers toward the stationary rollers in an obvious manner. In order to regulate the tension or pressure of said rollers, I find it convenient to arrange suitable set-screws j j in the lugs or projectionsJ J, upon which said screws are arranged suitable washers 7' f, engaging with said springs, so that by an operation of said set-screws the tension of the springs may be increased or lessened, as may be desired, thereby causing the free ends of the arms to hear more or less forcibly against the movable boxes. By this construction the rollers will be permitted to yield slightly in case an unusually large or hard object passes into engagement with their operatingsu1'faces, so as to thereby permit said object to pass between the rollers without injury to the surfaces of the same or to the frame which carries the rollers.

The movable boxes I I, which carry the roller at one side of the series, are preferably yieldingly supported in the manner shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings, in which the spring J bears directly against the box I and is pressed forward by an adjustable block K, acted upon by a set-screw 70.

In order to limit the movement of the adjustable rollers toward the stationary rollers so as to prevent actual contact of their surfaces, but at the same time to permit the adjustable rollers to be set very close to the stationary rollers I provide suitable stopbolts L, which are threaded through the sides of the members of the frame, as shown more ICC particularly in Figs. 4 and 5, so as to extend into the paths of the movable boxes I I and to form stops therefor. In order to securely retain said stop-bolts in their adjusted positions, I prefer to provide upon said bolts suitable jam-nuts Z l for engagement with the outside surfaces of the members of the supporting-frame in the manner shown.

As shown more particularly in Figs. 3 and 7 of the drawings, the pairs of husking-rollers are independently geared together by means of the gear-wheels M M, so as to cause said rollers to rotate in opposite directions, and each pair of said gears M M receives motion through the medium of a bevel-gear m, which is arranged to mesh with a corresponding gear m upon a transverse shaft M. Upon the shaft M is arranged a gear N, meshing with a pinion it upon the drive-shaft B, whereby rotation is transmitted to the shaft M, and thereby to the gears m m, and the bevelgears m m, and thereby to the rollers.

Each one of the gears m is loosely mounted upon the shaft, and adj acentthereto is located a suitable clutch member 0, which is splined upon the shaft and is arranged to be moved into or out of engagement witha corresponding clutch member formed upon the hub of the said bevel-gear, and it follows that by a movement of said clutch members 0 away from the gears the bevel-gears will be freed and the rollers permitted to stand idle, while an opposite adjustment of said clutch members into engagement with the clutch members upon the hub of said gears will obviously cause said gears to rotate and impart motion to the husking-rollers.

In order to simultaneously adjust the several movable clutch members into or out of engagement with the gear-wheels, I find it convenient to provide a longitudinally-movable bar 0, which carries upon its under side a plurality of depending bifurcated arms 0 0, adapted to embrace the movable clutch members in a familiar manner, whereby by a longitudinal adjustment of said bar 0 will simultaneously adjust the several arms 0 0 so as to shift the movable clutch members into or out of operative engagement with the gears. I also find it convenient to provide dependin g fingers 0 0, arranged upon the under side of a stationary transverse bar 0 and arranged to engage with the rear faces of the bevelgears m m, so as to hold the same in engagement with the gear-wheels m on. By this 0011- struction the bevel-gears are constantly held in mesh with each other and the clutch members O O are permitted to move into or out of engagement according to the adjustment of the longitudinally-movable bar 0. As a matter of convenience I provide upon the stationary transverse bar 0 a suitable guide 0 arranged to embrace the longitudinally movable bar 0, as shown in Fig. 10 of the drawings, and I further provide a spring 0 which is engaged at one end with the stationary bar 0 and at the other end with the movable bar 0 and serves to normally hold said bar 0 into position to cause the movable clutch members to engage with the gears.

To one end of the bar 0, I connect a pivoted lever P, which is mounted in suitable sup ports 19 upon the frame and has a projecting handle 19 at its free end, which is arranged to engage with a retaining device P upon the frame, as shown in Figs. 7 and 10, when the clutches are out of engagement. By an operation of this lever the bar 0 may be adjusted in either direction, the spring 0 serving when the lever P is free to automatically bring the movable clutch members into engagement and to retain them in operative engagement with the gears, while by the retaining device P the lever may be locked in position to hold the clutches out of engagement.

In order that the husking-rollers may be adjusted so as to give a desired inclination to the upper surfaces of the same, and to thereby enable material discharged onto said rollers to gravitate more or less rapidly toward their lower ends, I prefer to support the upper end of the frame which carries the husking-rollers by means of suitable yokes Q Q, which are adj ustably engaged with hangers q q, depending from the frame, and to engage the lower or free end of the said frame with depending hanger-rods R R, which have an adjustable engagement at their upper ends with suitable apertured plates r 1" upon the frame and are arranged to be vertically adjusted therein by means of suitable nuts r 0". By this construction the roller-carrying frame is adapted for adjustmentso as to bring the husking-rollers into any desired position without effecting the engagement of the bevelgears with each other, inasmuch as the shaft M passes through the hangers q q, and said adjustment is therefore concentric with said shaft. a

As shown more particularly in Figs. 3 and 7 of the drawings, the yokes Q Q are revolubly journaled upon tubular extensions 9 (1 upon the inner ends of the hanger q, and in order to arrange this hanger-frame wholly within the side pieces of the main frame of the machine it becomes necessary to make the yoke Q of such shape as to enable it to extend over or around the bevel-gear m at one side of the series of gears, so as to permit said gear to rotate freely within said yoke, and the yoke Q may be made of the form shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, so as to curve laterally and pass outside of the gear upon the end of the roller-shaft at the opposite end of the series. These yokes are bolted to the end piece of the roller-frame adjacent to the gearing by means of bolts 8 s, which pass through apertured ears or extensions S S upon said end piece, as in Fig. 3. The two end pieces of the frame are suitably joined by means of longitudinal bolts or rods .9 s, which pass through apertured lugs or cars upon said frame-pieces and are secured by nuts in the manner shown, so as to securely hold said pieces in position.

Any suitable or desired number of pairs of husking-rollers may be provided, and all of said rollers may be arranged to receive motion from the same shaft in the manner before described, the particular form of machine illustrated in the drawings being, however, provided with three pairs of such rollers. Machines of somewhat smaller capacity may be constructed with two pair of rollers arranged in substantially the same manner as herein described.

As shown more particularly in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the conveyer-belt f is arranged to travel upon wheels f f at the upper and lower ends of the conveyertrough F. Any means may be provided for adjusting one or more of said rollers so as to regulate the tension of the conveyer-belt, such, for instance, as the hanger-plates F F, which are secured to the lower end of the conveyertrough F and are provided With slots f through which bolts F extend, and said hanger-plates are engaged with adjustingbolts f f whereby a longitudinal adjustment of said plates may be effected, so as to move the lower pair of belt-carrying Wheels f to a desired position.

Adjacent to the upper end of the conveyer F is arranged a conveyer T, which is movably supported in any convenient manner upon a bracket t, extending out from the main frame of the machine, and said conveyer T is arranged to be adjusted either up or down, so as to vary the angle thereof, or to be swung from right to left, so as to direct the material discharged therefrom in a desired direction.

As shown in Fig. l of the drawings, the conveyer T receives motion from the driveshaft of the conveyer F through the medium of a drive-chain T, which extends downward from a wheel on said shaft to a wheel t, which actuates the driving-gears of the conveyer T.

Adjacent to the discharge end of the conveyer F is provided a conveyer U for receiving ears of corn discharged from the huskingrolls, and this conveyer U is movably supported upon brackets 10, also extending from the main frame of the machine in the manner shown in Fig. 1, said conveyer receiving its motion from a wheel U by means of a chain a, the wheel U being similarly driven by a chain a extending over a wheel located upon the axis of a lower pair of wheels of the conveyer F.

Suitable hoods V V are provided at the feed ends of the conveyers T and U for collecting the material discharged, respectively, fro m the conveyer F and the husking-rollers.

Upon one end of the-shaft M is provided a suitable gear-wheel w, which serves to actuate the feed-rollers through the medium of a movable gear-wheel, journaled upon an arm to. This arm w is pivotally engaged at one end upon the shaft M, and is arranged to be adjusted so as to carry the wheel w into or out of mesh with a gear upon the axis of the lower feed-roller D. This construction is substantially the same as that illustrated in a prior patent granted to me September 29, 1891, and numbered 460,336. By this device the feed-rollers may be instantaneously thrown into or out of operation by a simple movement of the lever W in the same manner as is described in my. aforesaid prior patent without in any way affecting the operation of the driving mechanism, the cutter-head, or the husking-rollers.

By the arrangement of the shields E and E in the manner shown in Fig. 2 of the drawin gs the bevel-gears m m and the gear-wheels M M are effectually protected from dirt or droppings of the material from the feed-rollers D D. In my aforesaid prior patent, No. 440,826, I have shown the entire series of husking-rollers as receiving motion from a single bevel-gear upon a transverse driveshaft, said gear being provided with a clutch member having oblique teeth adapted for engagement by a correspondingly-shaped clutch member splined upon the shaft. In practice, however, I have found this form of construction somewhat objectionable from the fact that in case of an accidental backward move ment of the driving-machine, which furnishes power to the cutting and husking machine, the members of the clutch have a tendency to ride out of engagement and thereby to bring undue strain upon the clutch-shifting mechanism.

By the particular form of construction shown in the drawings and herein described, however, all liability of damage to the clutchshifting mechanism by a reverse movement of the gearing is obviated, inasmuch as by the particular form of clutch mechanism shown the square-faced teeth or projections thereof will serve to rotate the rollers in either direction without any tendency of the clutches to ride out of engagement.

In the form of construction shown in the drawings and herein described each pair of husking-rollers is furthermore arranged to independently engage with a drivinggear upon the transverse shaft M, and said driving-gears are each arranged to independently engage with separate clutch mechanism, but to be simultaneously thrown into or out of operation by the adjustment of said clutch mechanism.

By the particular form of construction of the husking-rollers herein described I am enabled to very cheaply manufacture said rollers by first turning the spiral groove or screwthread in the outer surface of each of said rollers and then cutting the longitudinal groove therein, so as to form the described toothed surface upon the rollers. Furthermore, by the described construction of the husking-pegs, which are inserted in the apertures in said rollers, said pegs may be very firmly secured in position without the aid of any wedges or other retaining devices, and in case of accidental damage to any one of the husking-pegs said peg may be easily and quickly removed from the roller by simply driving the soft-metal plug h through the aperture in the roller, when a new peg may be readily inserted in said aperture in the manner before described.

The particular form of hanger device illustrated in Fig. 9 of the drawings is designed for use upon smaller machines, in which the driving bevel'gear m is located inside of the main frame of the machine instead of beneath the same, and upon the outside of the hanger, as in the larger machine shown in Figs. 3 and 7.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

WILLIAM GUTENKUNST.

Witnesses:

JOHN E. WILES, RosE GUTENKUNST. 

